The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure it is addressing consumer concerns, as the airline continues to cancel flights following a global technology failure last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media Tuesday that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment and that he will ensure this right is maintained. He noted that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the tech outages.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore full operations after a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused disruptions worldwide. This issue affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without access and, in some instances, experiencing critical errors known as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted various industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but the airline sector suffered particularly severe consequences. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware. Delta was among the most affected airlines.
Delta reported canceling approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday and Monday, it canceled over 2,500 additional flights and delayed another 3,441. As of Tuesday, FlightAware indicated that 738 flights had faced cancellations or delays.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated on Sunday that cancelling flights is a last resort, and he extended his apologies to all affected passengers. He highlighted that Delta’s operations depend heavily on Microsoft Windows applications, including a tool for tracking crews that struggled with the system failures. To assist customers, Delta has provided a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.